The State of Suds

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February 24, 2012 - 12:36am

Made in OregonOregon’s Top Ten Beer LabelsBy Mark Frisbee

How many times have you pulled something off the grocery store shelf because you like the packaging? Do you order crazy shit from infomercials at two in the morning because it has a catchy name? How many books have you brought home from Smith Family Bookstore because they had a kickass cover? If you are a sucker for labels and good marketing, let us help. Here then, in no particular order, is the list of our top ten favorite Oregon beer labels.

• Cascade Lakes Blonde Bomb Shell — Although we like Cascade Lakes labels a bit more before the redesign, the new ones still reach out and grab ya.

• Caldera IPA — A can the color of a highlighter pen, featuring a smoking black cauldron and a slightly psychedelic background. How can you not put this in your shopping cart?

• Laurelwood Tree Hugger Porter — Simple, clean and a strange ass green color make all the difference on this label.

• Bridgeport Stumptown Tart — Old school pinup style and the perfect font puts this Belgian style brew in the top 10.

• Eugene City Brewery Track Town 200 Meter Ale — It just wouldn’t be Eugene without a track reference. Great colors and a stinky old shoe make this a winner.

• Rogue Half-E-Weizen — What more can you ask for than a chain smokin’ booze hound photo of grandma?

• Deschutes Hop Henge — Eye catching art and a great play on words win this IPA a spot on the list.

• Hair of the Dog Blue Dot — Again the old adage — less is more — proves itself to be true. And who doesn’t like a picture of a dog, even if he is smoking a cigar and looks mean as hell?